Call distributing system



May 19, 1931. H. w. DRAKE CALL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEI Filed Nov. 1, 193.0

2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor H razce @wmp . May 19, 1931. H. w. BRAKE CALL DISTRIBUTING SYS'IEH .Filed Nov. l, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WN uhhh? @Ak mN 3 lwcn tor jf Vlr? ,Drake Patented May 19, 1931 JUNITIED STATES PATENTV oFFIcE i.

HERBERT W. BRAKE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNCR` TO THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEXV YORK CALL nisTRrBUrrNG SYSTEM Y Applicatien iled November 1, 1930. Serial No. 492,849.

My invention relates to switchboard call signal apparatus and circuits and particularly to arrangements for'facilitating the distribution of outgoing calls. f

In large central telegraph otces, telegrams arriving from various sources as from the telephone receiving department, commercial receiving otlice, or'branch oices, either by wire are pneumatic tubes for telegraphic transmission, or from distant stations for retransmission or local distribution, are sent to one` or more distributing centers at whichVr point they are sorted by routing clerks and routed to the proper telegraphor telephone operating positions. All telegrams passing into or out of the telegraph office pass through the distributing center.

One object'of my invention is to provide aV means whereby a routing clerk can determine which of a groupof operators is working any line known to be busy.

Another object of luy-invention is to provide a means whereby the routing clerk can signal an operator who is working a busy line that additional traicl is being brought to her so that she will not release her line.

An important feature of my invention is the accomplishment of the above objects with as little change inthe present systems as practicable so that it may be incorporated into existing installations. y Y

In accordance with my invention the routing clerk, upon `receivlng a message to be' transmitted over a certain line, can determine from her busy lamps whether or not this particular line is busy. 1f it is, she presses a push button associated with that line thereby lighting a lamp at the routing` center which indicates to the routing clerk the operator who vis working on that line. At the same time a lamp is lighted at the operating position working the line in question as a warning to the operator not to release the line.

The various features and objects of my invention will be more fully understood upon reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, while the scope of my invention will be 4particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Y i

and then to ground at 16.

FigureV 1 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits and apparatusemployed in accordance with myinvention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic View of the circuits and apparatus at a switchboard including a subscribers ack, answering lamps, busy lamps and common equipment therefor.

As shown in Figure 2, an individual sub-.pn scribers circuit l and `2extends through the y terminal strips Sand through the back contacts and armatures 4 and 5, respectively, of a cut-011 relay 6 to the windings of a line relay 7 which is individual to this particular' subscribers` line and which is energized by the closing of this circuit when the subscriber lifts the receiver.

The line relay 7 is provided with an armature 8 which at its front contact extends a circuit over the conductor 9 and one of the terminal strips l() to answering lamps such as 11 and 12 in parallel individual to 4each subscribers line and appearing at each operators position. ductor 13 to a pilot relay 14, theopposite terminal of which is connected to the battery 15 As is Well known, when the line energized the answering lamps 11 and 12 are illuminated over the circuittraced above to indicate to the operator or operators which of the subscribers lines is calling.

It will benoted that the subscribers lines 1 and 2, in addition to the connection to the line relay 7, are multipled over the conduc-l tors 18 and 19 to the'terminals 2O and 21 of a plurality of jacks which vare individual to this particular subscribers line, jack |22 being one i minals 27 and 28, into thefj ack 22 individual to the calling subscriber. The tip and ring terminals 27 and 28 are connected to the operators cord conductorsV 31 and 32, respectively, the conductor 81 extending to the winding 33 of a repeating coil and the conductorA 32 extending through the supervisory relay This circuit extends over the con- `relay `is A 34 to the winding 35 of the repeating coil and then through battery 36 to ground 37. The windings 41 and 42 of the repeating coil er:- tend to the operators head set and talking set over well known circuits which accordingly need not be described here. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, each oper ators position may be provided with a plurality of such cord circuits.

As will appear more fully hereinafter in the description of the operation of my invention, when the plug l25 is inserted into the jack 22, the circuit for the supervisory relay 34 is energized if/when the subscribers receiver is removed from the hook switch and it operates its armature 43 to engage its front contact, bypassing a circuit for the supervisory lamp 44. When the supervisory lamp is extinguished in this manner the operator is advised that the talking circuit has been completed.

One terminal of the supervisory lamp 44 is connected to the sleeve 26 which, when the plug thereof is inserted into the jack 22, extends a circuit over the conductor 29 to the cut-ofi? relay 6, the energizing circuit for which is controlled in this manner.

The cut-ott relay 6 comprises, in addition to armatures 4 and 5 which control the line relay, an armature 46 which controls a circuit over conductor 47 to busy lamps 43 and 49, one such lamp appearing before each operators position. The opposite terminals of lamps 48 and 49 are completed over conductor 50 and battery 51 to ground at 52. Then the plug 25 is inserted into the jack 22 and the relay 6 is energized, the busy lamps 48 and 49 are illuminated, indicating that this particular subscribers line is now busy and no other operator should seize this line, all of which is well known in the art.

In accordance with my invention, each op erators cord circuit is provided with an eX- tra relay 53, associated vwith the supervisory4 equipment, a lamp 54 which is arranged to be controlled by the relay 53, and a push button 55 which is operated by the operator for extinguishing the lamp 54, as will be fully described hereinafter.

At each operating position, the circuit of lamp 54 is controlled by the armature 56 of the relay vlfl-hen the relay 53 is energized the lamp is illuminated over a circuit eX- tending from ground at 57 over battery 58 and through winding 59 of relay 53, front contact and armature 56. lamp 54, push button 55 to ground at 60. The lamp 54 remains illuminated until the operator breaks the circuit by operating the push button 55.

Referring now again to the supervisory lamp 44. it will be noted that the opposite terminal thereof from that which extends to the sleeve 26.` is connected through a resistance 61, and winding 62 of relay 53 over conductor 63 to a lamp 64 at the routing clerks position, the opposite terminal of the lamp 64 being grounded through battery 65 at 66. The routing clerks position is provided with a lamp 64 for each operating position.

At the routing clerks position a busy lamp is provided for each line, each busy lamp 70 being connected in multiple with the other busy lamps of the same line. Associated with each line is a push button 71 and a resistance 72. Each resistance 72 is connected in series with the winding of the cut-off relay 6 of its associated line and each push button 71 is connected. across the terminals of its associated resistance 72. An additional battery 73 of a polarity opposite to that of the regular telephone battery is required by the system.

Having described the arrangement and circuits of the apparatus, a detailed description of the operation will now be given.

It will be assumed that no calls have been received and that accordingly the line relays 7 for all of the subscribers are deenergized. If now a subscriber, such as the one connected to the conductors 1 and 2, Figure 2, closes his circuit by lifting his receiver the circuit wll extend to the back Contact and armature 5, through t-he Winding of the line relay 7 to battery and ground and through the second winding of the relay 7, armature 4 and its back contact and back over the conductor 1 and the relay 7 is energized.

Energization of the line relay 7 operates its armature 8 to engage its front contact and a circuit is completed from ground through the armature 8 and its front contact, conductor 9, through the lamps 11 and 12 in multiple, conductor 13, winding of pilot relay 14 and through battery 15 to ground at 16. The lamps 11 and 12, upon illumination, indicate to all the operators which of the subscribers is calling.

It will now be assumed that one of the operators inserts her plug 25 (Fig. 1) into the jack 22 individual to the calling subscriber. The circuit over the conductors 1 and 2, which was traced as extending through the line relay 7, now also extends over multiple conductors 18 and 19 to the terminals 20 and 21 of the i ack 22 and to the tip and ring 27 and 28, respectively, of the plug 25, conductors 31 and 32 through supervisory relay34 and through the repeating coil windings 33 and 35 to battery 36.

The supervisory relay 34 is energized, bypassing the lamp 44 over a circuit including the resistance 75. The value of resistance 75 is so chosen with respect to resistance 61 that a substantial by-pass circuit for the lamp 44 is provided without seriously affecting the total resistance of this circuit.

A further result of the insertion of plug 25 into the jack 22 is to complete an energizing circuit for the cut-oli relay-6 over a circuit extending from ground throughthe battery 73, resistance 72, the Winding of the cutof relay 6, conductor 29, jack 22, sleeve 26 of the plug 25, front contact and armature 43, resistances 75 and 61 in series, through the Winding 62 of the eXtra relay 53 over the conductor 63, lamp 64, battery 65 and ground at 66. The current in this circuit is enough to keep the cut-off relay 6 operated but is not suiicient to operate the eXtra relay 53 nor is it sufficient to light the lamp 64.

The energization of the cut-oil1 relay 6 operates its armatures 4 and 5 from engagement with their back contacts, opening the circuit of the line relay 7. As a result the line relay 7 is deenergized and in turn opens the circuit of the pilot relay 13 at armature 8 which now moves from in engagement with its front contact. As a result of the deenergization of the line relay 7 the answer lamps 11 and 12 are extinguished indicating that the connection to the calling party has been completed.

rllhe energization ot the cutoff relay 6 operates its armature 46 into engagement with its front contact thereby closing the circuit for the busy lamps 48 and 49. This circuit eX- tends from ground over the armature 46 and its front contact, conductor 47, ausy lamps 48 and 49 in parallel, conductor 50 and through battery 51 to ground at 52. lnasmuch as the busy lamp at the routing clerksposition is connected in multiple with the busy lamps 48 and 49, the lamp 70 will also be illuminated indicating to the routing clerk that the line is busy.

As business is tiled at the routing center for transmission lover a certain line, the routing clerk can determine trom her busy lamps whether or not that particular line is busy. Let it be assumed that a message has linst been filed with the routing clerl; for trans-- mission over the line illustrated in Figure 1 and that, as above described, this line is busy. The routing clerk, noting that the line is busy, presses the push button 71 associated with this line, thereby short circuiting the resistance 72. is stated above, previous to this action the current in the eut-ott relay circuit was enough to keep the cut-off relay 6 operated 1out not sufhcient to operate the extra relay 53 nor was it sufficient to light the lamp 64. Inasmuch as the line is busy, the supcrvisors relay 34 is energized thus shuntin the supervisory lamp 44, as described abo-ve. However, when the routing clerk presses the push button 71 the increased current due to the elimination of the resistance 72 from the c'rcuit is suiiicient to operate the eXtra rela-y 53. When the relay 53 is operated its armature 76 :omes into engagement with its trout contact thereby short circuiting the supervisory lamp 44 and the resistance 75 in multiple thus providing enough increase in current inthe circuit to light the lamp 64 at the routing clerlrs position. At the same time the armature 56 of the extra relay 53 closes a circuitfor the lamp 54 at the operating position and the lamp 54 is illuminated and serves as a warning to the operator not to release the line. From the indication given by lamp 64, the routing clerk is informed as to which operator is Working on the line and the routing clerl; can then dispatch the filed message to the correct operator before the line is released.

It should be noted that the lamp 64 remains illuminated only While the push button 71 is depressed for as soon as the routing clerlf: releases the push button 71 the resistance 72 is reinserted into the circuit ot the lamp 64 and the current is aga-in insuiiicient to illuminate this lamp. However, the lamp 54 remains illuminated until extinguished by the operator, thus serving as aguide to the messenger. As soon as the messenger has delivered the message to the operator, one may eX- tinguish the lamp 54 by depressing the push button 55. Y

The routing clerk can depress button after button to obtain information for the messengers only one lamp 64 in the operator group being lighted at a time. The speed at which the system can be operated is dependent only on the rout-ing clerk.

Although the description is given in connection with apparatus as applied to a telephone concentration unit, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that it is equally applicable to other signalling systems, such as telegraphy and simplex printer concentration units which permit the grouping oi' a large number of underloaded circuits in front of a smaller number of operators.

It will further be clear to those skilled in the art that many departures from the form and details of the embodiment'o'l the inven departing from the spirit of the invention,

the same being herein shown solely for the purpose of clearly illustrating one specific embodiment of the invention.

Having thus illustrated and described one particular embodiment of my invention, what I Wish to claim is 1. In a switchboard having a plurality of operators positions, a routing clerks position and a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality of devices at said routing clerks position 'for indicating which of said lines are busy and means at said routing clerlrs position Jfor indicating which operator is working on any line indicated as busy.

2. In aV switchboard having a plurality of operators positions, a routing clerks posi tion and a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality of devices at said routing clerlrs position for indicating which of said lines are busy and manually controllable means at said routing clerks position for indicating which operator is working on any line indicated as busy.

3. In a switchboard having a plurality ot operators positions, a rout-ingl clerkis position and :i plurality ot subscribers lines, a plurality oi: devices at said routing` clerks position tor indicatingvvliich of said lines are busy, means at said routing' clerlis position for indicati L which operator is working' on any busy line and means at said operators positi n tor indicating to operator not to release lier line.

et. In a switchboard liavin; i. plurality of operators positions, a routing cierlis position and a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality oit devices at said routing,r clerks position for indicating' which of said lines are busy, means at said routingl clerks position for indicating ivliiea operator is Working on any busy line, means at said operators position for indicating to said operator not to release lier line and manually operable means at saitL r uting clerks posit-ion for controlling` both ot said means.

5. In a switchboard having a plurality. ot operators positions, a routing clerks position and ay plurality ot subscribers lines, a plurality of devices at said routing` clerks position tor indicating` which of said lines are busy, means at said routing clerks position for indicating' which operator is Working on any line indicated as busy, means at said operators position 'for indicating` to said operator not to release lier line and manually operable means at said operators position tor controlling' said last mentioned means.

6. In a switchboard having a plurality of operators positions, a routing' olerks position and a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality of devices at said routing clerks position for indicating' which of said lines are busy, means at sain routing clerks positi on tor indicating which operator is Working; on any line indicated as busy, means at said operators position for indicating to said operator not to release her line, manually operable means at said routine clerks position for controllingr botli of said means and manually operable means at said operators position for controlling` said second mentioned moans.

7. In a switchboard having a plurality ot ogmrators positions, a routing clerks position and a. plurality oi subscribers lines, a plurality ot devices at said routing clerks position for indicating which of said lines are busy and means Wiereby signal may be transmitted from the routing clerks position to any operator Working on a busy line.

S. ln a switchboard having a plurality ot operators positions, a routing clerks position and a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality of devices at said routing clerks position for indicating; which of said lines are busy, means whereby a signal may be transmi ted from the routing clerks position to any operator Working on a busy line and means responsive to said first mentioned means for indicating at said rout-ing` clerks position which operator is working on said line.

9. In a switchboard having a plurality ot operators positions, a routing position and a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality oi lamps at said routing' elerks position for indicating` which ot said lines are busy, a key at said routing clerks position individual to each of said lines for transmitting a signal to tbe operator Working on said line and a lamp at said operators position responsive to the operation of said key for indicating to said operator not to release her line.

l0. a switchboard havinga plurality of operators positions, a routing position and a plurality ot subscribers lines, a plurality ot lamps at said routing clerks position for indicatingwhich ot said linesI are busy, a key at said routing clerks position individual to each ot said lines for trai'ismitting a signal to the operatoi| Working on said line, a lamp at said operators position responsive to the operation ot said key for indicating` to said operator not to release lier liuc and a lamp at said routing,v clerks position responsive to the operation of said key tor indicating at said routing clerlrs position which operator is Working' on said line.

ln testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

HERBERT lV. BRAKE. 

